Abstract: A video system and method allow for control of a video quality contrast between a region of interest of a video image and background of the video image. Quality contrast can be controlled in real-time as the video images are being transmitted. A video controller allows the quantization levels of the two regions of video image to be controlled by a user. A user interface provides a slider control to allow the user to easily adjust the contrast between the quantization levels.

Abstract: In an apparatus for transcoding a compressed video, a generator simulates constraints of a network and constraints of a user device. A classifier is coupled to receive an input compressed video and the constraints. The classifier generates content information from features of the input compressed video. A manager produces a plurality of conversions modes dependent the constraints and content information, and a transcoder produces output compressed videos, one for each of the plurality conversion modes.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for executing a setup protocol. A camera and a visual display device are coupled to a computer. Images are generated by the camera upon activation of the camera. A series of setup tests are then conducted on the images generated by the camera to determine whether the camera and surrounding environmental elements satisfy predetermined criteria of an intended computer vision application for optimal running of the intended computer vision application on the computer. The series of setup tests comprises at least one setup test selected from a library of setup tests.

Abstract: A method of simplifying the arithmetic operation in a global motion compensation process approximates the motion vector field of the whole image without using many parameters. Motion vectors in the global motion compensation are found by the interpolation and/or extrapolation of the motion vectors of a plurality of representative points 602, 603 and 604 having particular features in the spatial distance thereof. Since the shift operation can be substituted for the division for synthesizing a predicted image of global motion compensation, the processing using a computer or a dedicated hardware is simplified.

Abstract: The compression and coding of digital data pertaining to video sequences of pictures including motion estimation for removing temporal redundance are provided by recognizing the occurrence of a change of a scene to control the prediction computation of the pictures. This control is provided using a forward motion estimation for pictures preceding the change of scene, and using a backward motion estimation for pictures subsequent the change of scene of a given sequence. A change of a scene is reliably detected by checking two distinct indexes. These indexes are based on an average value of a smoothness index of the preestablished number of last processed pictures. The smoothness index of a motion field of each picture is calculated by analyzing the motion vectors for all the macroblocks of a subdivision of the picture, except for the peripheral macroblocks. Spurious detections in the event of noisy pictures, zooming and other situations that may adversely affect either one of the indexes are prevented.

Abstract: An error concealment method of a motion video decompression system is disclosed. The present invention uses motion vector estimation to recover video signals, with errors generated by a transmission state, nearly to the original video. Particularly, the present method includes estimating motion information of a lost video, and restoring the lost video from a video adjacent to the lost video by using the estimated motion information.

Abstract: In an encoding apparatus for processing a video signal with a signal processing circuit, producing coefficient data by an orthogonal transform of differential data obtained by motion compensation, generating coded data by quantization of the coefficient data and converting the quantization step size at the time of the quantization according to the amount of generated data of the coded data, the signal processing circuit includes: a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector of the video signal; a motion code vector amount detecting circuit for calculating the code amount of the motion vector on the basis of the motion vector and for detecting the amount of code of the coefficient data; and a pixel number converting circuit for converting the number of pixels of the video signal according to the amount of code of the motion vector and the amount of code of the coefficient data.

Abstract: A subjective evaluator delineates regions of an information space to be encoded in a qualitatively preferential or non-preferential manner such that the encoded information space comprises one or more of normal, emphasized or de-emphasized information content.

Abstract: A trimming video image including a mask region (20) having vehicle side window shapes and a vehicle image (36) which are formed by an image forming device are overlapped on pickup video images of a CCD camera obtained by picking up the left and right forward images of a vehicle to form a synthesized image, and the synthesized image is displayed on a display device. Since the left and right pickup video images are displayed in display regions (11, 21) having side window shapes, respectively, and the vehicle image (36) is additionally used, the direction of a displayed pickup video image (track T or man M) is intuitively recognized.

Abstract: A computer-based system employing video capture, video motion detection, digital I/O and communications technology is applied to monitoring and security applications. Video information from one or more analog or digital cameras, is independently converted into digital form, optionally displayed in computer monitor on separate resizable windows, analyzed for motion and/or transmitted via the Internet or other networks. Motion detection or event triggers may be derived from a plurality of sources including analysis of digitized camera video signals, motion detector devices, signals from alarm systems, X10 motion sensors or cameras with built-in motion detection. Once a trigger event occurs, software compresses the digitized camera image, stores it in a local database, converts it to an Internet mail binary file format, and sends the file to the address of a recipient. Alternatively, a beeper or direct phone call may be sent in response to alarm condition.

Abstract: An image of a scene is focused onto a two dimensional array of passive infrared sensing elements mounted on and connected to an integrated circuit, and used to detect the location of events within the scene; for example, movement, change in temperature, or the emission of a gas. In this invention knowledge of the location of the event is derived from the detection of signals from one or more elements of the array, and is used to control the operation of a mechanism such that a portion of the scene including the event location is imaged onto a video imaging device operating in the visible or near infrared. Such mechanisms include a zoom lens or mirror arrangement and mechanical scanning in elevation and/or azimuth. Examples of suitable imaging devices for use with the thermal detector array include CCD camera chips and other electrically scanned silicon photovoltaic arrays. The CCD array might for example be used in a CCD camera, which is used to identify an intruder, or to read the number plate of a car.

Abstract: An imaging system comprises an image-data collection station (1) having a platform (2) which is rotatable about an azimuthal axis. Several image sensors (3) are mounted on and rotate with the platform (2). A static monitoring station (7) includes a computerized sensor control system (10) for selectably and independently turning the sensors (3) ON and OFF during the rotation of the platform (2). Station (7) additionally monitors the data output from the sensors (3) and delivers a visible output at a VDU (8).

Abstract: The process for estimating a dominant motion between two frames combines a phase correlation peak detection algorithm (1) and a multi-resolution robust regression algorithm (3) for improving the robustness of the estimation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image coding apparatus and its motion vector detection method, which can reduce a system cost also when the throughput of image data is increased. The image coding apparatus of the present invention comprises a search range frame memory 40 for outputting a search range for motion vector detection, a coding target frame memory 50 for outputting a coding target block, and a motion compensation unit 210 for performing motion compensation by using the coding target block which is input from the coding target frame memory 50 via a second data bus and the search range for the motion vector detection, which is input from the search range frame memory 40 via a first data bus, and obtaining a candidate block having a highest correlation with the coding target block in the search range.

Abstract: Frequency information is selectively removed from a video signal in order to decrease the number of color values required for video compression. Removal of the frequency information includes both periodic raking out of narrow frequency bands, and rounding of frequency values. The frequency information removal is carried out selectively in those portions of the visible light spectrum in which the human eye's color response is strongest, thus allowing increases in video compression ratios without visible degradation of image quality.

Abstract: A motion picture coding and decoding apparatus synthesizes a lower layer frame at a certain time by using first component area information of a lower layer preceding in the time and second component area information of a lower layer succeeding in the time. For an area where the first and second component areas overlapped, or for an area which is neither the first nor the second component area on the lower layer frame, lower layer frames preceding and succeeding in time are subjected to weighted average for synthetisization. For the area corresponding to the first component area only, the lower layer frame succeeding in time is used, and for the area corresponding to the second component area only on the synthesized lower layer frame, the lower layer frame preceding in time is used, for synthesizing the lower layer.

Abstract: Visual and spatial information as a function of time is collected and saved for further processing to determine spacial and target identification for an information database. The later processed information is used to determine the spatial position of an object seen in the visual information. The method includes the high speed collection and time correlation of video images, spatial position information and vehicle attitude with minimal time offset between individual frames of view in digital sets of video data.

Abstract: An image correction method of compensating for point of view image distortion in pictures includes the steps of obtaining an image at a first position within a predetermined frame, wherein at the first position the image is distorted due to point of view image distortion. The image obtained comprises an array of pixels. The distorted image is transformed into a compensated image by re-mapping the array of pixels of the distorted image using a predetermined transforming function that stretches the distorted image to fill the entire frame. The transformation function depends on the geometric orientation of the camera, projector, projecting surface, and viewer. The compensated image is projected at a second position different from the first position, wherein the projection of the compensated image substantially reduces point of view image distortion at the first position. This method can be employed for stationary and moving point of views.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for transmitting a plurality of images of at least over a packet network. A plurality of motion vectors based on at least one moving object is generated. The plurality of images is encoded by constraining the plurality of motion vectors so as to produce a bitstream. The bitstream is then transmitted over the packet network.

Abstract: A still-picture acquisition section in a computer selects a brightness-periodically-varying portion of image data of a living cell like a cardiac cell, as a sample, which makes a self-ordered periodic motion, monitors a change in brightness, generates a trigger signal at the timing at which the value of the brightness exceeds a specific threshold value, causes a camera body to repeatedly pick up the image of the living cell after a predetermined delay time, and then averages the picked-up images. This makes it possible to acquire as high-quality still pictures the instantaneous status of a living cell which varies with time in accordance with the application of external stimulation or the in-vivo order.